Lathing clips



y 1960 J. w. SCHNELLER 2,945,329

um-xmc CLIPS Filed Aug. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Joseph W. Schneller ATTORNEY July 19, 1960 J. w. SCHNELLEfi 2,945,329

LATHING CLIPS Filed Aug. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-$heet 2 69 7 6o INVEN TOR. 6: 4 Joseph W. SchneHer BY Kari M ATTORNEY LATHING CLIPS Joseph W. Schneller, Eggertsville, N.Y., assignor to National Gypsum Company, Bulfalo, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 23, 1955, Ser. No. 530,179

Claims. (Cl. 50-479) This invention relates generally to a clip system for use in the application of gypsum lath to studs and joists and is directed further to the novel and improved clips included therein. *It will be understood that the invention applies generally to the construction of partitions, including walls, ceilings or the like or any combinations thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a nited States Patent 6 and facility of application which also provide the im- 7 proved partition structure.

These and other objects of the invention will be more readily apparent when considered in relation to the preferred embodiments as set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a room constructed in accordance with the present invention and embodying the several cooperative elements of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the diagonal lathing clip constructed in accordance with the invention, a portion being broken oil.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the clip of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the straight lathing clip constructed in accordance with the invention, a portion being broken ofi.

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the clip of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the wall starter clip constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of the ceiling starter clip constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of the wall finishing clip, constructed in accordance with the invention, in fully assembled position.

Fig. 9 is an isometric view of the corner clip constructed in accordance with the invention.

General descriptionEnvir0nment In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a corner of a room, wherein the partially constructed partitions 10, namely walls 11 and ceiling 12, have been-framed in, and had lath 13 applied and fastened in accordance with the present invention in a usual condition prior to plastering. In the 'form shown, two floors 15 and '16 exist, on and from which the partitions 10 are mounted and suspended, respectively.

The framework for the walls 11 includes, in the present embodiment, floor-runners 17 fixed along floor 15 throughout the extent wherea-t the walls are being constructed. Ceiling-runners '18 are wire-suspended from floor 16 at the desired ceiling height, directly over the extent of floor-runners 17. Sinuously-webbed, steel studs 20 extend vertically therebetween at suitably apaced apart positions. The ends of studs 20 are disposed within the channels of runners 17 and 18, in the usual manner, and are fixed thereat by clasps 21, which are attached to the studs 20 at the ends of the chords 22. Studs 20, in the present embodiment include chords 22 and sinuous webwires 23.

The ceiling 12 is suspended from floor 16 by a suspension system 24 including parallel, spaced apart, elongate carrying-channels 25 extending generally parallel to one wall 11 and suspended from floor 16 by supportingwires 28. Furring-runners 26, at spaced apart, parallel positions, are fixed by suitable tie-wires 27 in abutting relation, below, and generally perpendicular to carrying channels 25, and are disposed with bottom faces thereof substantially in the horizontal plane of the top faces of ceiling runners '18.

Any usual sheets of lath 13, in the present embodiment being /8" x 16" x 48", paper covered, gypsum lath, are afiixed, as described below, to the suspension system 24 and to the studs 20 by clips constructed in accordance with the invention which are adapted to engage the fur ring runners 26 and the adjacent chords 22 of studs 20. The chords 22, in the present embodiment, are elongate angle irons having a transverse extending flange of a dis mension substantially equal to the vertical dimension of furring runners 26, allowing interchangeability of ceiling and wall clips when so desired, this dimension being in the order of inch.

Description-Clips The two principal clips of the present invention are the diagonal lathing clip 31, Figs. 2 and 3, and the straight lat-hing clip 32, 'Figs. 4 and 5. The auxiliary, cooperating clips are the wall starter clip 33, Fig. 6; the ceiling starter clip 34, Fig. 7; the wall finishing clip 35, Fig. 8; and the corner clip 36, Fig. 9. All clips, in the present embodiment, are formed of resilient bent spring steel wire having a diameter in the order of Lathing clips is bent making a 45 angle a in the wire, which small bent portion forms a short edgeaeceiving lip 43. The angle a, seen in Fig. 3, and, thus, lip 43, are disposed in a plane, which in Fig. 2 would be the horizontal plane. Lip 43 will be seen to form an outermost extension of head portion 42, the function of which will be clearly disposed further below. The wire is thence bent perpendicular to lip 43, in a radially outward direction in reference to the curved body portion '40, to form a runner leg 44. Leg 44 is equal in length to the sum of lath thickness and -furring runner height, of the lath and runner to be ultimately used therewith. The Wire is thence bent perpendicular to leg 44, in a direction also perpendicular to the body portion 40, to form a bottom leg 45, equal in length to the horizontal width of furring runners 26, and thence bent again to form leg 46 parallel and equal in length to leg 44. Legs 44, 45 and 46 thus 'form arunner receiving loop 47. A short ofisetting leg 48 extends perpendicular to the plane of loop 47, on the opposite side of the plane from the edge-receiving lip 43, and a sinuous prong 49, or hook, extends therefrom generally parallel to leg 45 in a direction away from loop 47. Sinuous prong 49 consists preferably of one and one half small sinuations, the end most half sinuation 50 extending away from loop 47 for ease of insertion of the tail '41 of an adjacent clip, thefull sinuation 51 forming a' holding portion for grasping and retaining the above said tail portion.

The straight lathing clip 32 is generally similar in structure to the diagonal lathing clip with the exception that a 180 turn, or angle rather than a 45 angle, is formed at the end of a body portion 60, opposite a tail 61, that is, at the junction of the body portion 60 and the head portion 62. Body portion 60 is formed from a nineteeninch section of wire curved about a 16- /2" radius with the possible exception of the tail 61 portion. The head portion 62 of straight lathing clip 32 includes anedge-receiving lip 63, legs 64, 65, and 66 forming loop 67, olfsetting leg 68 and sinuous prong 69 including a half sinuation 70 and a full sinuation 71, all similar in structure to the form of head portion 42 of diagonal lathing clip 31, described above.

In Fig. l, diagonal clips 31 and straight clips32 are shown as applied to and holding strips of standard 16" Wide gypsum lath 13. Diagonal clips 31 have been applied throughout ceiling 12 and straight clips 32. throughout walls 11, as would normally be done, although both clips may beused interchangeably. The use of diagonal clips in preference to straight clips, due to the obviously greater supporting ability, will be limited only by the increased cost due to greater length. Thus, its use in ceilings, where its advantages have been unquestionably proven, will be by far the most common. p 7

Clips 31 have body portions 40 extending diagonally each across one sheet of lath 13, with the radially outer surface, formed by the curvature shown in Fig. 3, disposed abutting the lath outer face. Head portions 42 are disposed where adjoining edges of lath sheets cross runners 26, which extend perpendicular to the lath length. Loops 47 extend between the'adjoining lath edges and over and about runners 26.

The tail portion of the clip 31 will be normally disposed, at a time immediately after positioning loops 47, at a point spaced outwardly from the lath face, substantially over a diagonally adjacent clip head portion 42. The tail 41 of said first mentioned clip is then slid under the sinuous prong 49 of said second mentioned clip. In so doing, the body portion 40 of said first'mentioned clip, is straigthened and forced tightly against its respective sheet of lath, holding it upward in a -fiat condition, greater tightness being provided by the normal curvature. The diagonal extent of clip 31 provides support, in a structure such as ceiling 12, to an entire length of lath 13, at every segment of length throughout the lath length, with the exception of a negligible strip along the ceiling edge, to which there may subsequently be applied a further reinforcement such as angular strips of expanded metal (not shown).

With the incorporation of an offsetting leg 48, it will be seen, Fig. 1, that sinuous prong 49 is disposed over the lath face at a position spaced from the lath joint. This construction assures the easy accessibility of the prong for insertion of the tail 41, which would not be provided if the prong extended along the joint, and were thus free to recede into thejoint.

Receiving lips 43, extending from loops 47 in a direction away from the sheet of lath being supported by the respective clip body portion 40, provide a leading edge or receiving member for the support, during application, of an abutting edge of another adjacent sheet of lath, prior to the placement and securing of the clips for said adjacent sheet. This feature alone provides a marked im-- provement in the process of applying lath to a framework, as will be readily recognized by one skilled in the art.

4 l The availability of means for supporting one edge of the sheet of lath, throughout its length, at the time it is first placed into its desired position, removes to a great extent the awkwardness existant in the original positioning of the normally bendable and frangible sheet of lath. It will be apparent that the additional available preliminary support is especially advantageous since a sheet of lath, while being applied, cannot otherwise be flatly disposed and held by an applicators one available hand.

The straight clip 32 is applied on walls 11 in substantially the same manner as the above application of diagonal clips 31. Body portions 60, however, extend generally along the extent of studs 20 to which the clips 32 are affixed, rather than extending diagonally between supporting members as in the case of diagonal clips 31. Receiving lips 63 extend beyond the lath edge to provide a leading edge or receiving member for the support of an abutting edge during the application of an adjacent sheet of lath. Sinuous prong 69 is provided, disposed in spaced relation to the lath sheet edge by means of offsetting leg 68.

Accessory system clips Referring now to Figs. 1 and 6, Wall starter clip 33 is shown attached to upright flanges of floor runners 17. Wall starter clip 33 is formed from a short length of wire and includes two spaced apart, inverted U-shaped attaching books 81 for slip on attachment to flange 80. Hooks 81 are joined by cross-leg 82 forming a unitary stabilized attaching portion to hold the body portion 83 which extends outward from the outer extremity of one hook 81. Body portion 83 includes an end-leg 84 for passing under the bottom thickness of lath, a perpendicular upright leg 85 for holding the lath bottom end relative to runner 17 and a sinuous prong 86 perpendicular to leg 85 extending along the lath outer face. Sinuous prong 86 includes a full sinuation 87 for holding the tail portion of a field clip and a half sinuation 88 for facilitating the insertion of the field clip tail. Prong 86 will be seen to be disposed at a position spaced from the lath edge, providing the improved accessibility as is provided by the field clip prongs.

Figs. 1 and 7 show the ceiling starter clip 34, including an attaching portion 90 for application to a furring runner 26, and a body portion 91, similar in structure to the 'body portion 83 of wall starter clip 33. Attaching portion 90 includes a U-shaped book 92, an L-shaped hook 93, and an inwardly arced connecting leg '94. With the proper dimensions of hooks 92 and 93, it Will be seen from the drawing the manner in which the combination thereof With arcuate leg 94 forms a stabilized attaching portion when applied to a channel-sectioned furring-runner. Body portion 91 includes end leg 95 for extending across the edge thickness of an end of a sheet of lath 13, a perpendicularly extending lath supporting leg 96 disposed along the lath outer face, and a sinuous prong 97 perpendicular to leg 96 and also extending generally along the lath outer face. Sinuous prong 97 includes the previously described full sinuation 98 and half sinuation 99, and is also disposed spaced from the lath edge for ease of accessibility.

The wall finishing clips 35 are shown in Figs. 1 and 8 as applied to ceiling runners 18. Ceiling runners 18 are provided with evenly spaced apart holes 100 throughout the length of the downward side flanges 101. Finishing clip 35 includes an upper ceiling-runner engaging portion having a horizontally disposed back leg 102 substantially equal in length to the spacing between the holes 100 of ceiling runner 18 to which clip 35 is to be afiixed. At one end of leg 102, a short hook 103 is provided for insertion through a hole 100. From the opposite end of leg 102, a horizontal outward leg 104 extends in generally the direction which hook 103 extends from leg 102, with a length substantially equal to the thickness of the lath to be held thereby. The body portion 105 of clip 35 extends perpendicularly and downwardly from the outer end of outward leg 104. Body portion 105 is formed with a normal large diameter are (not shown) and a short, straight tail 106 at the end thereof, similar in structure to the body portions of the field clips, which, when the clip 35 is applied to a structure, is straightened out and provides an additional inward urging of the lath throughout the length of the body portion 105.

The general arrangement of the ceiling-runner engaging portion of clip 35 is such that the distance from the end of hook 103 to the outer end of outward leg 104 is greater than the distance to the inner end. Thus, prior to aflixing the tail 106 of the clip 35, the outward leg 104 may be moved through its hole 100' to within the runner flanges 101, permitting hook 103 to pass into its respective hole 100. Upon withdrawal of outward leg 104 to without flange 101, the above described shorter distance to the end of hook 103 causes hook 103 to become lockingly engaged Within its hole 100. Clips 35 are applied to ceiling runners at positions closely adjacent vertical studs 20 and body portions 105 extend generally parallel to studs 20. Thus, when clips 35 are applied over lath 13, the stud and lath Will hold leg 104 without flange 101 after tail 106 has been inserted under a sinuous prong 69 of an immediately lower straight field clip 32, maintaining the locked condition of hook 103 in its hole 100.

The corner clip 36 of Figs. 1 and 9 is a marked improvement over prior corner clips in that its structure, though simple and easily applied, provides for grasping and firmly holding the edges of both of the two sheets of lath 13, one sheet being disposed in each of two walls 11. For clarification of description one sheet of lath 13 will be designated sheet 13a and the other sheet of lath, sheet 13b. In Fig. 9, the corner will be seen to have been formed by abutting the edge of sheet 13a against the end of the face of sheet 13b. Corner clip 36 is formed of a continuous Wire and includes a relatively large loop 110 for engaging the back of sheet 13b. At each end of loop 110, clip 36 is bent perpendicularly to the plane of loop 110 and two complementary small loops 111 are formed for engaging the back of sheet 13a. At the ends of lo'ops 111 opposite the above described perpendicular bend, the clip includes two parallel perpendicular bends forming short edge legs 112 for engaging the edge of sheet 13a on one side and the face of sheet 13b on the other side. Clip 36 is thence bent at the inner end of each edge leg 112 in a direction parallel to small loops 111 to form end legs 113 for engaging the face of sheet 13a. Thus, loops 111 and legs 113 grasp the two sides of sheet 13a and loop 110 and legs 112 grasp the two sides of sheet 13b, firmly holding sheet 13a and 13b relative to one another, providing an improved and strengthened corner structure.

By the provision of grasping means for both corner sheets of lath, corner clip 36 may be applied first on either the abutting sheet 13a or the abutted sheet 13b, but would ordinarily be applied first on sheet 13b, as this abutted sheet would ordinarily be the first applied during construction.

In summary, the above specification describes and sets 6 forth a complete system of clips capable, in several respects, of improved ease of application and erection, and which cooperate to provide the superior base or lathed structure.

Having completed a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiment of my invention so that those skilled in the art may practice the same, I contemplate that variations may be made without departing from the essence of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clip of formed wire for attaching a sheet of lath to a structural framing element comprising loop means for attaching said clip to a framing element, said loop means lying substantially in a first plane, one end of said lo'op means forming an end leg, an ofisetting leg extending substantially perpendicularly from the outer end of said end leg, and a prong formed for receiving and holding a straight tail portion of another clip, said prong extending angularly from the opposite end of said offsetting leg, said offsetting leg and said pro'ng being in a common second plane which is substantially perpendicular to said end leg, said second plane being substantially perpendicular to said first plane, whereby when in operative position said end leg is adapted to be disposed adjacent an end surface of an associated lath sheet and to extend perpendicularly to the general plane of the sheet, and said offsetting leg is adapted to extend parallel to and adjacent the outer face of an associated lath sheet With the prong being adapted to extend parallel and adjacent to the outer face of an associated lath sheet.

2. A wire clip as defined in claim 1 wherein the wire extending from the opposite end of said loop defines an elongated body portion terminating at the opposite end in a substantially straight tail portion adapted for insertion between the prong of an adjacent clip and the outer face of a lath sheet.

3. A wire, straight lathing clip as defined in claim 2, wherein said elongate body portion extends substantially perpendicularly to the plane of said loop.

4. A Wire, diagonal lathing clip as defined in claim 2, wherein said elongate body portion extends at substantially a 45 angle from the plane of saidloop.

5. A wire starter clip as defined in claim 1 consisting essentially solely of said attachment means, said end leg, said offsetting leg and said prong.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,779,184 Makowski Oct. 21, U 1,803,632 Makowski May 5, 1931 2,016,874 Raynor Oct. 8, 1935 2,164,464 McNabb July 4, 1939 2,307,898 Olsen Jan. 12, 1943 2,620,531 Chandler Dec. 9, 1952 2,641,035 Nelsson June 9, 1953 2,661,515 Nelsson Dec. 8, 1953 2,714,305 Nelsson Aug. 2, 1955 

